This year our class is taking on the challenge of trying to solve some of the issues that have plagued our globe over the past twenty years. This page is designed to record our journey along the way as well as serve as a dumping ground for any information that we may come across as we begin and continue to research a possible solution.
Global Issue #1:Lack of Women's Rights
Solving the Issues of the World…One Friday at a Time
Group Names: Aasha Patel, Alexa Flesch
Global Issue #1:Lack of women's rights
Background of Issue: (who?, what?, where?, when?, why?)
Birth control/ reproductive rights
in early 20th century birth control became advanced
In a broader context birth control has become an arena for conflict between liberal and conservative values, raising questions about family, personal freedom, state intervention, religion in politics, sexual morality and social welfare
Women’s right to education
Women have always been seemed less than men in many 3rd world countries around the world.
Women’s right to the vote
Saudi Arabia
All women, regardless of age, are required to have a male guardian.
Women cannot vote or be elected to high political positions.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving.
Among non-mahram men, women must cover the parts of the body that are awrah (not meant to be exposed). In much of Islam, a woman's face is not considered awrah. In Saudi Arabia and some other Arab states, all of the body is considered awrah except the hands and eyes.
Sex segregation is expected in public.
Traditionally, women have been excluded from studying engineering, pharmacy, architecture, and law. This has changed moderately in recent years as nearly 60% of all Saudi university students are female. Some fields, such as law and pharmacy, are beginning to open up for women. Saudi women can also study any subject they wish while abroad. However, customs of male guardianship and purdah curtail women's ability to study abroad.
Approximately 71% - 78% of females are literate, in comparison to 85% literacy rates in males.
In April 2010, a new, optional ID card for women was issued which allows them to travel in countries of the Gulf
Cooperation Council. The cards include GPS tracking, fingerprints and features that make them difficult to forge. Women do not need male permission to apply for the card, but do need it to travel abroad
China
Women have been the primary targets of abduction, illegal imprisonment, physical and sexual assault, and sale.
It is found acceptable in some parts of China for men to abuse their wives
The status of women in China was low, largely due to the custom offoot binding
foot binding was is the custom of binding the feet of young girls painfully tight to prevent further growth.
About 45% of Chinese women had bound feet in the 19th century.
For the upper classes, it was almost 100%.
Due to the social custom that men and women should not be near to one another, the women of China were reluctant to be treated by male doctors of Western Medicine.
resulted in a tremendous need for female doctors of Western Medicine in China
Education
Higher rates of high school and university education among women, particularly in developing countries, have helped them make inroads to professional careers and better-paying salaries and wages
Costs: human and/or financial cost?
N/A
Previous Efforts Put Into Place to Help Resolve Issue:
In 1946 the United Nations established a Commission on the Status of Women
Passed in 1919, the 19th amendment gave women in America the right to vote.
The Association for Women's Rights in Development (AWID).
Reasons why previous efforts to help resolve issue have failed:
There is evidence that some women in Saudi Arabia and China do not want change. Even many advocates of reform reject Western critics, for "failing to understand the uniqueness of Saudi society."
Areas of concern on reaching your desired solution to the global issue:
Religious beliefs
segregation
violence
education
YOUR PLAN OF ACTION! (for this section, you will need to provide the most detail as you lay a step-by-step plan on how your group will go about tackling this issue. It is important that you take a look at all the information you have researched and studied and use that information to develop a true, realistic and effective plan of action. The plan needs to include funding, people involved, time length of project, materials needed, etc…)
Education:
Prevent because of..
Religious reasons
old custom
Women are supposed to be in the house all the time, and took care of the children all the time
Malala
In 2009, the Taliban issued an edict that all girls in her region be banned from schools
Malala spoke out, blogged and appeared in a documentary, refusing to follow their orders
Solution Ideas: Ordinary women can do:
Violence
Call the police if you see or hear evidence of domestic violence towards women
Support a friend or family member who may be in an abusive relationship.
Volunteer at a local domestic violence shelter or other organization that helps survivors or works to prevent violence.
Raise children to respect others.
Teach children to treat others as they would like to be treated.
Lead by example.
Work to create a culture that rejects women violence as a way to deal with problems. Speak up against messages that say violence or mistreating women is okay.
Become an activist.
Participate in an anti-violence event like a local Take Back the Night march. Tell your congressional representatives that you want them to support domestic violence services and violence prevention programs.
Volunteer in youth programs.
Get involved in programs that teach young people to solve problems without violence.
At work, ask about policies that deal with sexual harassment, for example. On campus, ask about services to escort students to dorms safely at night and other safety measures
Ask about anti-violence policies and programs at work and school.
At work, ask about policies that deal with sexual harassment, for example. On campus, ask about services to escort students to dorms safely at night and other safety measures.
This year our class is taking on the challenge of trying to solve some of the issues that have plagued our globe over the past twenty years. This page is designed to record our journey along the way as well as serve as a dumping ground for any information that we may come across as we begin and continue to research a possible solution.
Global Issue #1:Lack of Women's Rights
Solving the Issues of the World…One Friday at a Time
Group Names: Aasha Patel, Alexa Flesch
Global Issue #1:Lack of women's rights
Background of Issue: (who?, what?, where?, when?, why?)
Birth control/ reproductive rights
in early 20th century birth control became advanced
In a broader context birth control has become an arena for conflict between liberal and conservative values, raising questions about family, personal freedom, state intervention, religion in politics, sexual morality and social welfare
Women’s right to education
Women have always been seemed less than men in many 3rd world countries around the world.
Women’s right to the vote
Saudi Arabia
All women, regardless of age, are required to have a male guardian.
Women cannot vote or be elected to high political positions.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that prohibits women from driving.
Among non-mahram men, women must cover the parts of the body that are awrah (not meant to be exposed). In much of Islam, a woman's face is not considered awrah. In Saudi Arabia and some other Arab states, all of the body is considered awrah except the hands and eyes.
Sex segregation is expected in public.
Traditionally, women have been excluded from studying engineering, pharmacy, architecture, and law. This has changed moderately in recent years as nearly 60% of all Saudi university students are female. Some fields, such as law and pharmacy, are beginning to open up for women. Saudi women can also study any subject they wish while abroad. However, customs of male guardianship and purdah curtail women's ability to study abroad.
Approximately 71% - 78% of females are literate, in comparison to 85% literacy rates in males.
In April 2010, a new, optional ID card for women was issued which allows them to travel in countries of the Gulf
Cooperation Council. The cards include GPS tracking, fingerprints and features that make them difficult to forge. Women do not need male permission to apply for the card, but do need it to travel abroad
China
Women have been the primary targets of abduction, illegal imprisonment, physical and sexual assault, and sale.
It is found acceptable in some parts of China for men to abuse their wives
The status of women in China was low, largely due to the custom offoot binding
foot binding was is the custom of binding the feet of young girls painfully tight to prevent further growth.
About 45% of Chinese women had bound feet in the 19th century.
For the upper classes, it was almost 100%.
Due to the social custom that men and women should not be near to one another, the women of China were reluctant to be treated by male doctors of Western Medicine.
resulted in a tremendous need for female doctors of Western Medicine in China
Costs: human and/or financial cost?
N/A
Previous Efforts Put Into Place to Help Resolve Issue:
Reasons why previous efforts to help resolve issue have failed:
Areas of concern on reaching your desired solution to the global issue:
YOUR PLAN OF ACTION! (for this section, you will need to provide the most detail as you lay a step-by-step plan on how your group will go about tackling this issue. It is important that you take a look at all the information you have researched and studied and use that information to develop a true, realistic and effective plan of action. The plan needs to include funding, people involved, time length of project, materials needed, etc…)
Solution Ideas:
Ordinary women can do: